Impact of land-use changes on the climate of the Mexico City Region
It is well established that anthropogenic land-use changes directly affect the atmospheric boundary layer at the mesoscale dimensions. Located in the high lands of Central Mexico, the basin of Mexico (7 500 km2) has undergone a widespread conversion of natural vegetation to urban and agricultural la...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
2012-02-01
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| Series: | Investigaciones Geográficas |
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| Online Access: | http://www.investigacionesgeograficas.unam.mx/index.php/rig/article/view/30110 |
| _version_ | 1818841601504444416 |
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| author | Ernesto Jáuregui |
| author_facet | Ernesto Jáuregui |
| author_sort | Ernesto Jáuregui |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | It is well established that anthropogenic land-use changes directly affect the atmospheric boundary layer at the mesoscale dimensions. Located in the high lands of Central Mexico, the basin of Mexico (7 500 km2) has undergone a widespread conversion of natural vegetation to urban and agricultural land by deforestation. While the urban extension of the capital city occupied 6% of the basin in 1960, at the end of the twentieth century the urban sprawl had increased considerably to 20% of the total area. This phenomenal growth has impacted on the thermal climate of substantial portions of the basin. In this paper using annual temperature and precipitation data for a 25 year period, an attempt is made to identify interdecadal climate changes. Results show that large areas of the basin have changed toward a warmer drier climate. While afternoon temperatures have increased at a rate of 0.07° C/yr in the suburbs of the city the corresponding area averaged value for the rural sites is somewhat less: 0.06° C/yr. The afternoon temperature increase for the total number of stations used was 0.06° C/yr. The area-averaged minimum temperature increase in suburban stations (3) was 0.15° C/yr while that corresponding to surrounding rural sites was 0.08° C/yr for period 1961-1985. This last result illustrates the relevant role the heat island phenomenon has had in changing the thermal climate as compared with that observed in the rural environment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T04:28:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ec34ae8e11814ef78ef36b31c3815117 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0188-4611 2448-7279 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T04:28:40Z |
| publishDate | 2012-02-01 |
| publisher | Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Investigaciones Geográficas |
| spelling | doaj.art-ec34ae8e11814ef78ef36b31c38151172022-12-21T20:35:58ZengUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoInvestigaciones Geográficas0188-46112448-72792012-02-0105510.14350/rig.3011028316Impact of land-use changes on the climate of the Mexico City RegionErnesto Jáuregui0Center Atmospheric Sciences, National University (UNAM), Cd. Universitaria, 04510, Coyoacán, México, D. F. Email: ejos@atmosfera.unam.mxIt is well established that anthropogenic land-use changes directly affect the atmospheric boundary layer at the mesoscale dimensions. Located in the high lands of Central Mexico, the basin of Mexico (7 500 km2) has undergone a widespread conversion of natural vegetation to urban and agricultural land by deforestation. While the urban extension of the capital city occupied 6% of the basin in 1960, at the end of the twentieth century the urban sprawl had increased considerably to 20% of the total area. This phenomenal growth has impacted on the thermal climate of substantial portions of the basin. In this paper using annual temperature and precipitation data for a 25 year period, an attempt is made to identify interdecadal climate changes. Results show that large areas of the basin have changed toward a warmer drier climate. While afternoon temperatures have increased at a rate of 0.07° C/yr in the suburbs of the city the corresponding area averaged value for the rural sites is somewhat less: 0.06° C/yr. The afternoon temperature increase for the total number of stations used was 0.06° C/yr. The area-averaged minimum temperature increase in suburban stations (3) was 0.15° C/yr while that corresponding to surrounding rural sites was 0.08° C/yr for period 1961-1985. This last result illustrates the relevant role the heat island phenomenon has had in changing the thermal climate as compared with that observed in the rural environment.http://www.investigacionesgeograficas.unam.mx/index.php/rig/article/view/30110Climate changeland-use changesurbanizationdeforestationprecipitation trend |
| spellingShingle | Ernesto Jáuregui Impact of land-use changes on the climate of the Mexico City Region Investigaciones Geográficas Climate change land-use changes urbanization deforestation precipitation trend |
| title | Impact of land-use changes on the climate of the Mexico City Region |
| title_full | Impact of land-use changes on the climate of the Mexico City Region |
| title_fullStr | Impact of land-use changes on the climate of the Mexico City Region |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of land-use changes on the climate of the Mexico City Region |
| title_short | Impact of land-use changes on the climate of the Mexico City Region |
| title_sort | impact of land use changes on the climate of the mexico city region |
| topic | Climate change land-use changes urbanization deforestation precipitation trend |
| url | http://www.investigacionesgeograficas.unam.mx/index.php/rig/article/view/30110 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ernestojauregui impactoflandusechangesontheclimateofthemexicocityregion |